Ryan Nicol
Current state Rep. Manny Diaz continues his charge to the Florida Senate after pulling in another endorsement from a Miami-Dade County mayor.
Miami Mayor Francis Suarez is the latest to back Diaz, announcing his support for Diaz’s Senate District 36 bid.
“I’m honored to have Mayor Suarez’s support,” Diaz, a Republican, said.
“He is an outstanding leader and public servant, and I’m grateful to have him join the other local leaders from across Miami-Dade who have joined our team. I look forward to continuing a strong partnership with them as we serve the best interests of our communities together.”
Mayor Suarez had previously served on the Miami City Commission after he won the District 4 seat back in 2009. He remained in that role until winning the mayoral race last year with an overwhelming 86 percent of the vote.
Suarez also serves as vice-chair of the Miami-Dade Transportation Planning Organization and is a former president of the Miami-Dade County League of Cities.
Suarez’s family has strong political ties to Miami. His father, Xavier, is a current Miami-Dade County Commissioner and also served as mayor of Miami in the late 1990s.
Diaz hopes the latest endorsement helps propel him from the Florida House to the Senate. He’s already earned endorsements from the mayors of Hialeah, Hialeah Gardens, Doral, Miami Lakes, and Medley.
Diaz has represented House District 103 since 2012 but is now seeking to replace GOP Sen. Rene Garcia in SD 36. Garcia is term-limited.
“Manny Diaz is a compassionate leader who will be very effective in the Florida Senate,” Suarez said. “In the Florida House, he has demonstrated strong commitment to the communities he represents, and I am confident he will serve Senate District 36 with the same determination and responsiveness. I look forward to working with him.”
Diaz is the only Republican who has entered the SD 36 race. Only Muhammad Amin has filed as a Democrat.
